Free Nursing Dissertations - These Social Cognition Theories Thus Have A Predictive Value Also In
These social cognition theories thus have a predictive value also in explaining people’s behaviours (Conner and Norman, 1995). While we can acknowledge the addictive nature of nicotine and the fact that such addictions are a disorder we need to be aware as models from health psychology inform us of the complex social and psychological factors which influence behaviour surrounding this addiction, (Cohen et al, 2003).
Each of the models that are examined here are models which from a health psychologists perspective help towards explaining which behaviours are being follow and begin an analytic process by which the reasons for these behaviours are being followed. As such each of these models seeks to provide an explanation of the various cognitive variables explaining people’s actions, what are the intentions towards actions and the expectations which guide decisions on following a behavioural pattern. These social cognition theories have been through research shown to display varied yet successful results as an aid towards understanding the behaviours of individuals.
Health Belief Model
This model is perhaps the oldest and most widely spread used model in the field of health psychology arising out of theoretical advancements in the 1970s. It has been researched to some degree within a clinical setting, with reasonably successful results and thus displays a moderate level of applicability.
The health belief model is comprised of two aspects, perceptions of threat illness and subsequent evaluations of behavioural patterns in response to these perceptions. By analysing these variables then clues as to the possible behaviour as well as the reasons for following these behaviours can be arrived at. We can see the applicability of this theory in relation to smokers generally and women who smoke about the perceived likelihood that the individual will suffer from cancer. Public health strategies which seek to emphasise the frequency of cancer rates can be seen as a response to and incorporation of this model (Conner and Norman, 1998:8-9).
This model has been criticised on a number of grounds generally centred on its failure to include more sophisticated analyses of certain factors or the ability to refine its analyses of certain factors.
Health Locus of Control
Arising out of social learning theory this model proposes a function whereby client’s behaviours are affected by expected results flowing from following a course of action and the degree then to which these results are matched. Simply stated this theory believes that an individual’s decision on a course of action is dependent on how likely it is believed that a particular reinforcement will occur and concurrently what value the individual places on this reinforcement.
